Imagine yourself in front of the crowd at the International for DOTA 2 and they are yelling your name. You hoist up the Aegis of Champions and say to yourself that you have finally got what it takes to be a professional Dota 2 player. However, the journey wasn't always easy, especially within a very tough and competitive environment.
Not everyone who dreams of becoming a Dota 2 pro can become a professional player. There are a lot of young players who aspire to become part of some professional team that will take the organization to the prestigious event The International.
For those who want to know how to become a professional Dota 2 player, here are some of the things that you need to do.
- Master Your Skills
- Matchmaking Ranking or MMR
- Have a Good Standing in the Game
- Get Professional Help
- Play in Tournaments
- Stream Your Games
Master Your Skills
The first and most important part of becoming a pro player is mastering the skills needed to play at the highest level. The pro scene is riddled with professional players who are at the top of their game.
Those who aspire to be part of this elite group of players must always make sure that their skills are always in check. The best way to do this is to play a lot of games.
Queue up in ranked games as much as possible and learn the strengths and weaknesses of every hero in the game.
Learn the Game
Speaking of which, Dota 2 is a very complex game. There are a lot of mechanics to learn and a lot of strategies to play around with. The game itself is complicated and adding the random factor of playing with other people can become challenging.
The main reason why players excel at the game is their in-game knowledge. Most, if not all, pro players tend to have in-depth knowledge of what works and what doesn't in the game of Dota 2.
Study the game and what is the reasoning behind each play and you will understand the game better. Of course, mechanics are required to execute the things that you have learned better.
Matchmaking Ranking or MMR
MMR or matchmaking ranking is a system that determines your skill level. The higher your MMR, the more likely it is that you are skilled in playing the game.
While numbers do not often show your true skill, it is still a determining factor as to why teams and organizations would want to work with you.
You will notice that most pro players hang around the highest MMR ratings in the game.
Additionally, MMR determines your overall macro- and micro-skills in the game. If you don't belong in the highest level of MMR, chances are, you will have difficulties getting invited to teams and orgs.
Excellent Communication Skills
While many high-level players excel at playing the game, some of them lack the communication skills needed to play together with four other players. Communication is key to winning games.
Even if you are one of the best-skilled players in the world and yet you fail to communicate how you want to make a play in the game, your team won't be able to follow through. Excellent communication with your team allows for a better strategy.
You can convey what you think is the best plan for the moment and how you want to play the game to win. Learn the language of the team so you can communicate better and become a better team overall.
Have a Good Standing in the Game
Another factor that will determine whether teams or orgs would want to pick you as their pro player is your attitude in the game. There are so many highly skilled players in the game but are too wrapped up in their ego that they miss their chances at becoming pro.
Teams will never want to work with you if you have a reputation of being toxic in the game or outside of the game.
Your teammates should want to work with you but if you find yourself having difficulties working alongside one another, becoming a pro player should not be on your priority list.
Reputation is everything in the world of esports so be careful with how you treat other players.
Find Connections Within the Community
The Dota 2 community spans across the world and there is bound to be someone you know that is connected with an organization.
If you feel like you have what it takes to become a professional Dota 2 player, go ahead and find those connections within the community. Most high-ranking gamers are often approached by talent scouts and they should be able to help you look for them.
However, if you truly want to be discovered, make sure that you have a vast online presence and a good reputation. This is where being nice to people continues to be a very integral part of becoming a pro player in Dota 2.
Get Professional Help
If you find yourself having troubles ranking up in Dota 2, chances are, you might be doing something wrong. There are a lot of pro players that have vastly improved when they get professional help.
Online coaches are available for you to take advantage of. Sure, they might charge you with some fees for their help but it is always worth it.
You will soon discover the things that you have been doing in the game were detrimental to your dreams of becoming a pro player.
Listen intently and follow the suggestions made by the coach. This is an important aspect of becoming a pro player as you will be dealing with a lot of these discussions once you become part of a professional team.
Reach Out to Teams
You may have what it takes to become a pro player but sometimes, you just have to put matters into your own hands. Try and reach out to teams and apply to be part of the team.
Most teams have social media profiles that you can follow. You can stay updated and check if they are looking for players who might want to join the team. You may also ask them about the recruitment process and see if you are a good fit for their team.
As always, be respectful to the team as you apply for a spot within the organization. Many managers receive a lot of requests and inquiries regarding the application and it can become quite a nuisance if you keep on pushing yourself.
Play in Tournaments
One good way of making yourself visible to these scouts and managers is to join tournaments. Tournaments are the best way to get yourself out there.
It is also a great environment to showcase your skills or learn new ones. Tournaments are usually held online these days but if you can join a LAN tournament in your area or region, create a team and show them what you got.
Make sure that you excel in the games that you win so that people will begin to notice you. It will only be a matter of time before managers and talent scouts will begin knocking on your door.
Get the Best Equipment
You will also spend most of your downtime playing a lot of games. While waiting for a reply from a scout or in between tournaments, you might want to practice and enhance your skill. One good way to improve your skill is to get the best equipment.
There is no need for you to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to get top-notch equipment. You can always start with some of the basics like a mouse or keyboard. Then, move your way up to a better PC so you can always play at the highest level.
It is important that you try to have the best equipment possible as Dota 2 is quite heavy on visuals.
Stream Your Games
Another great way to get your name and reputation out there is to stream your games. Starting in the streaming world can be difficult since there are millions of streamers out there.
But, what makes you different and would most likely stand out is your skills. The more you showcase your skills and win more games, the more you will likely gain followers.
As soon as you begin to gain momentum, you should also work on your image as most teams will always want to recruit a skilled player who has an interesting personality that is easily marketable to the online crowd.
Never Lose Hope
There are probably thousands of you who dream to become a Dota 2 pro player one day. Everything comes down to determination, skill, dedication, patience, and a lot of hard work.
If you are willing to do all those things, it will only be a matter of time before you get that invitation from a team.
Conclusion
Becoming a Dota 2 pro player is a long winding road. You will be facing a lot of adversity and challenges from the start and even well throughout your professional career.
However, the tips above should help ease a little bit of the difficulties that you will face towards making it to the professional scene.
